It is with great sadness that the wine industry receives the news of Etienne Hugel's passing this weekend, on April 9th. He was a true champion of Hugel, Alsace, and the whole wine world. During Etienne's time at Hugel & Fils, his vision for Hugel around the world, and in Asia especially, led to the strengthened international market presence we see today. For 20 years Etienne, a member of the 12th generation, steered the business side of the company and was the public face of Hugel all over the world.

Etienne was tireless — he spent most of his time travelling the world on business — never one to forget the tiniest of details. I myself have known him since I was a child, as one of the original members and the absolute strongest supporter of PFV (Primum Familiae Vini) — and I also knew him as a brand owner when I was brand manager for Hugel in the U.K. No matter the context, Etienne's charisma and enthusiasm were incontestable.